The New York Mets may have fallen out of playoff contention, but their entrance music remains in championship form. Here's a look at the top ten Mets walkout songs of 2012:
1) Justin Turner, Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe": "Call Me Maybe" is basically a teenybopper pop anthem and definitely not a song that a 20-something ballplayer should be rocking out to.
Turner doesn't seem to mind what anyone thinks about him walking out to the tune, and he has even said that his teammates love it. I thought he chose this song as a fun little joke, but he admitted in an interview that he just really enjoys it.
2) Scott Hairston, Beastie Boys' "Root Down": The Mets paid a wonderful tribute to Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch in early-May, as each member of the team walked out to a tune by the band. Hairston chose "Root Down," a classic from the band's 1994 classic, Ill Communication.
3) Daniel Murphy, Dropkick Murphys' "I'm Shipping Up To Boston":
This one makes plenty of sense, as Murphy shares the band's namesake and its rich Irish heritage. The sweet sounds of the Dropkick Murphys, a Boston-based punk rock outlet, never fails to get the crowds at Citi Field on their feet.
4) Mike Baxter, Ozzy Osbourne's "Shot In The Dark": I love when ball players break out some 1980s' old school heavy metal, and that's exactly what Baxter did by walking out to this classic from Osbourne's 1986 album, The Ultimate Sin. This is one of Osbourne's poppier songs, so it fits well in a family-friendly ballpark like Citi Field.
5) R.A. Dickey, "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)": If there was any question that Dickey is a Star Wars nerd, his walkout song choice sealed the deal on that speculation. Dickey also names his bats after literary swords.
6) Mike Pelfrey, Nirvana's "Lake of Fire": Nirvana was one of the greatest rock bands of the 1990s, and Pelfrey made a fine selection with "Lake of Fire," a deliciously mellow groove that really sets the tone for an at-bat.
Unfortunately, Pelfrey's days in a Mets uniform may have come to an end. He needed Tommy John surgery on his elbow after a tear was discovered on his ulnar collateral ligament on his elbow.
7) Chris Young, Guns 'N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine": There's a lot to like about "Sweet Child O' Mine," the third single of their 1987 gem, Appetite For Destruction. The all-too-familiar opening guitar riff from Slash sets the stage for the rest of the five-minute long tune, and Young has tallied a .176 BAA with it. Not bad for a pitcher!
Best of the rest:
Ike Davis, Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up"
David Wright, House of Pain's "Jump Around"
Jason Bay, Pearl Jam's "State of Love and Trust"
What is your favorite New York Mets walkout song of 2012? Let me know in the comments.
Eric Holden is a lifelong Mets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
